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2
May

Schmidt Brewery Well, St. Paul, MN

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Photo

Description

This is not a true spring but a well that is 1,100 feet deep well taps into the Mount Simon-Hinckley aquifer to water that is purported to be over 30,000 years old. True fossil water! This well was drilled by the old Schmidt Brewery that is no longer in service but is now a St. Paul historical landmark.

The water has been available to the public on-and-off through the years and has recently been re-opened in early 2010. The water is brought up to a holding tank which is then dispensed to the public through a vending machine.

Note that there is a sign by the vending machine that claims that the water is UV treated. We are unsure how accurate this is at this time.

You can see a cross-section map of how far the well has been drilled into the aquifer here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/22857823/Schmidt-Brewery-Aquifer-Context

Here is a nice article from Minnesota Public Radio about the re-opening of the water to the public. Includes some nice history as well.

We’ve been using the water on-and-off since it’s re-opening. It tastes very clean and the TDS is a bit lower than Fredrick-Miller Spring, although not by much.

Nearest Address

Intersection of 7th St. West and Webster St. in St. Paul, right off the river.

Directions from Nearest Address

From highway 94, go south on 35E and exit on Randolph Avenue. Go East and then turn North on West 7th St. You will see it on the right-hand side up a few blocks.

Vital Information

  • Fee: 50 cents/gallon
  • Access: Public
  • Flow: Continuous
  • TDS: 215
  • Temp: N/A
  • pH: 6.7

Hours Spring is Open:

24/7/365

GPS: N/A

Map Link: Schmidt Brewery Well Map

Submitted by: Anonymous

Category : Minnesota / USA
  • Jeff Thone

    Is there a problem with the water? I just filled up and have discarded because the taste is awful much like petroleum. The dispenser indicated the water was free and sure enough it was.

    Is there some way I contact someone about this?

    Jeff Thone 612-221-1717
    jeff.thone@gmail.com

  • Petrifiedforest

    I've tasted this water and it is sublime. I use glass containers when I collect the water.
    GLASS is the BEST way.

  • KingsFielder

    just tasted this water for the first time, after getting tipped off by my pa about this spot. Bought 3gallon glass containers for this special aqua. The water is by far the best and easiest to drink water I have ever had. It taste like a mix of the water machined stuff dispensed in grocery stores with the reverse osmosis treatment- meaning it is as equally pure tasting, with a hint of mineral water mixed in. very easy to drink! get some! i will see you there

  • Winfred

    Hi! I have purchased this water and wonder why it always has a garlic like odor. The odor varies in strength and in recent weeks has been quite strong. It tastes fine. Why does it have that garlic odor? Only about two or three times I’ve purchased water there it did have a petroleum taste to it, so I wonder why that is too? Thanks “admin” for posting this. I hope you respond as it looks like no one else has been getting any. Thanks!

  • Johnelle Zimney

    10June10 Filled 7 gallons glass jugs with water–the water turned yellowish and odor
    coming from it smelled like diesel fuel. I phoned
    Water Quality
    Complaints (Colored Water/Taste & Odor In Water)
    Community Water Systems
    Refer to engineer in your county. See
    list below.
    St.
    Paul Office

    Chisago, Isanti, Ramsey, and Washington Counties

    Chad Kolstad, 651-201-3972, chad.kolstad@state.mn.us
    He phoned back to say that St. Paul Environmental Health
    had responsibility for testing the water and it sounded like
    they would test this week because of my report of bad color and odor.
    As far as reporting, Chad thought they would post at the well site if
    anything was found wrong!

  • Johnelle Zimney

    On Thurs June 9, 2011, I filled 7
    gallons glass jugs with water

    –the water turned yellowish and
    odor
    coming from it smelled like diesel fuel.

    I discarded it.

     

    I found this web site to find the
    info below.

    Previously when operated by the
    brewery,

    because the well was a
    non-community source,

    the MN Dept of Health
    “regulated” it.

    But when I called Mn Dept of
    Health on June 9,

    I was told it was now a community

    water source and the Dept of Ag
    had responsibility.

     

    I found the link below to find
    someone to call–Chad Kolstad—

    and reported the color and odor.

    http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/water/org/contactlst.html#wtrpws

    Water QualityComplaints (Colored
    Water/Taste & Odor In Water)
    Community Water Systems (Refer to engineer in your county. See
    list below.)  St.Paul Office  Chisago, Isanti, Ramsey, and Washington
    Counties
    Chad Kolstad, 651-201-3972, chad.kolstad@state.mn.us

    Chad
    phoned back on Tues 11June14 to say that

    St. Paul Environmental Health
    had responsibility for testing the water and

    it sounded to him like they would
    test this week

    because of my report of bad color
    and odor.

     

    He had left a message for Barb
    McCannick (sp?),

    but someone else called him back
    and he didn’t get that person’s name.
    As far as reporting, Chad
    thought they would post at the well site if

    they found something wrong.

     

    This site has a great history from
    when the brewery operated it,

    but I have strong reservations
    about the current operators.

    Hope this info is helpful to you.